Indigenous Peoples

Ucluelet is the anglicized version of the Nuu-chah-nulth word Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ (means Ucluelet First Nations). This has commonly been translated as ‘People of the Safe Harbour’ or historically ‘Dwellers of the Protected Place Inside’. The Ucluth peninsula has been inhabited by the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ as far back as 4,300+ years ago.

The Ucluth Peninsula has a significant First Nations history, this geographic area is the traditional territory of the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ and holds significant ancestral and contemporary importance. The Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ have been caretakers and stewards of this for thousands of years. One of Nuu-chah-nulth’s primary teachings is c̓awaaksamin’ or ‘Everything is one.’ The land and the sea gave them food and supported their livelihood and culture. As Tourism Ucluelet moves forward toward reconciliation it is important to acknowledge that our organization would not be able to exist without the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ and the guiding principle of c̓awaaksamin. We encourage all visitors to reflect on the connection between people and the land on which they walk and acknowledge those who walked and cared for this land for time immemorial.

Photo by Mark Penney

Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ (Ucluelet First Nation) are a post-contact consolidation of at least seven previously independent primary groups that each consisted of multiple sub-groups and families (Inglis and Haggarty, 1986)

The modern Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ are the descendants of the following primary groups:

Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ – from yuułuʔił village, Ucluth Beach
Huʔułʔatḥ – from Huʔuł village, to the far right of Florencia Bay Beach (Pacific Rim National Park)
K̓ inaxuumasʔatḥ – From kʷisitis village, Wickaninnish Beach (Pacific Rim National Park)
Hitac̓ uʔatḥ – from hitaču village
Hinap̓ iiʔisʔatḥ – from Hinap̓ iiʔis village, Spring Cove
W̓ aayiʔatḥ – from W̓aayi village, Wya Point
Kᵂaayimt̓aatḥ from kʷaayimt̓a Village. Which is a beach in hitacu (unknown English name)

Additional known primary groups descend from locations including:

ƛakmaqisʔatḥ – Clakamucus, upper Ucluth Peninsula
namint – Nahmint Valley

Ucluelet resides on the Ucluth Peninsula, traditional territory of the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ. Lands and beaches along the peninsula, in conjunction with those listed above; Big Beach (ʔiiḥatis), Little Beach (ƛawačaqtu), He-Tin-Kis Park (Hitinqis Tašii), Terrace Beach (čiisanapuwis), Amphitrite Point (ʔič̓aačišt), and the now Pacific Rim National Park; Island off Florencia Bay Beach (qaanimč̓a) and South Beach (tuč̓uuwis), are rich in Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ history and remain sensitive environments.

Today, Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ (Government) is a modern treaty government, located in hitac̓u. There are approximately 700 Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ citizens, 200 located in hitac̓u and residing urban citizens throughout Vancouver Island, across Canada and the United States. The Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government jurisdiction extends over nearly 5,500 hectares of Treaty Settlement Land surrounding the community of hitac̓u, as well as territory north of Ucluelet, in the Effingham Inlet, and along the Nahmint River.

The Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government is a member of the Maa-nulth Treaty Society and through the Maa-nulth First Nations Final Agreement, is a modern treaty nation operating with a government-to-government relationship with Canada and the province of British Columbia. The Maa-nulth Final Agreement came into effect on April 1, 2011. In short, Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ was released from the Indian Act, giving authority over lands cultural preservation, exercising treaty rights, and government operation.